North America

UNITED NATIONS, July 27 (NNN-TELESUR) — A report by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says Colombia’s next government must prioritize bringing down illegal armed groups and criminal gangs.

According to a communiqué issued by the OHCHR, “the predominantly military response of the State has failed to stop the expansion of the groups, and the scarce presence of civilian institutions has aggravated the situation.”  

OTTAWA/TORONTO, July 27 (Reuters) - A Texas man bought dozens of guns from licensed dealers in the state before illegally reselling at least 16, U.S. officials say. Twelve were traced to crimes committed in America. The other four were traced to crimes in Canada.

The case of the 31-year-old, indicted last month on charges that could see him jailed for years, illustrates the leading role the Lone Star State now plays in the smuggling of guns used for violence in Canada, and how firearms tracing can help combat that trade.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The intensifying rivalry between former President Donald Trump and his once fiercely loyal vice president, Mike Pence, was put on stark display Tuesday as the two gave dueling speeches in Washington on the future of the Republican Party.

Trump, in his first return to Washington since Democrat Joe Biden ousted him from the White House, repeated the false election fraud claims that sparked the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, while Pence, in a separate address, implored the party to move on from Trump’s defeat.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A congressional candidate whose compelling personal story of military valor and unfathomable loss helped him win former President Donald Trump’s support has connections to right-wing extremists, including a campaign consultant who was a member of the Proud Boys.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The last two former Minneapolis police officers to be sentenced in federal court for violating George Floyd’s civil rights are scheduled to learn their penalties Wednesday, which could set in motion another round of plea deal discussions in state court over a killing that sparked a reckoning on racial injustice.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy is caught in an awkward, painful place. A confusing one, too.

Growth appears to be sputtering, home sales are tumbling and economists warn of a potential recession ahead. But consumers are still spending, businesses keep posting profits and the economy keeps adding hundreds of thousands of jobs each month.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The week before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, Missouri’s Josh Hawley became the first Republican senator to announce he would object to the certification of the 2020 election.

Texas’ Ted Cruz came next, dashing off his own plan on a flight from Houston to Washington days before the joint session of Congress to certify the election results.

26 July 2022; MEMO: The recent surge in political donations totalling millions of dollars by the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has triggered a backlash amongst Democrats. Questions are being asked about the ethics of allowing multi-billionaire Republican donors to influence the results of Democratic primaries and why a single-issue pro-Israel lobby group is campaigning against a Jewish candidate instead of a far-right Republican accused of making anti-Semitic remarks.

26 July 2022; MEMO: The family of slain journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, demanded justice for the Al Jazeera reporter's killing ahead of a meeting in Washington with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

Lina Abu Akleh, her niece, posted a video on Twitter from outside the State Department saying that she and other family members "are here to demand justice for Shireen".

27 July 2022; MEMO: The Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, has renewed Palestine's request to become a full member of the United Nations, Anadolu news agency reported.